Frozen Comfort
by Buffybot76
Summary: TIN MAN fic. As much as he wanted to, Cain simply could not get his body to relax. Not with DG molded to him like she was. This could not end well. ON HOLD.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Frozen Comfort

**Author:** Buffybot76  
**Characters/Pairing**: Cain/DG  
**Rating**: M  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own Tin Man. All the characters herein are owned by the SciFi network. I'm just playing in their sandbox.

_**- Part 1 -**_

The wind was gradually picking up as the old truck made its way trudgingly along the snow-covered road. Within the chilled cab of the truck, two figures sat.

"Why is it, again, that the heater in this damned thing doesn't work?" DG asked from her position in the passenger seat.

From the driver's side, Wyatt Cain growled softly, his fists clenching the steering wheel tightly. This was about the hundredth time the princess had asked him this question. "If you're so good with these sorts of things, you figure it out, Princess." He made an effort to soften the clipped tone of his voice.

DG made a face at him, which he only caught out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't about to risk looking at her, as the snow was now beginning to come down faster, seriously obscuring his view of the road.

"This totally sucks; you do know that, right?" DG continued her rant when she didn't get a reaction from him. "Mother could have sent anybody to oversee the renovations, but noooo, let's send DG! It'll be a sure way to improve on her princess-ly skills. Now, here we are, freezing our asses off in the cab of a rickety truck. Couldn't they have given us, like, a royal transport or something? Pfft. Whatever." She rolled her eyes and slumped back down in her seat, arms crossed sullenly before adding, lamely: "Or, maybe, warmer jackets."

Cain sighed, opening his mouth to reply, when the truck jerked violently. The jolt was accompanied by a loud concession of rattles, clanks and squeals as the vehicle sputtered a few more feet ahead before it came to a shuddering halt.

DG held her hands up in a sign of surrender. "Just for the record," she said, "I had _**nothing**_ to do with that."

Cain grumbled under his breath and gave her a stern look. "Stay here," he ordered gruffly. Right. Because that would _**actually**_ work.

To her credit, DG did manage to do as Cain said for a whopping ten seconds; a record, in her opinion. Then, she was hopping out of the cab to follow the Tin Man around to the front of the truck, where he had lifted the hood. A billow of smoke erupted from the engine area, causing the two to step back.

"Holy shit," DG gasped, using a hand to fan in front of her face. "What'd you do to it, Cain?"

"Me? I-" He realized how immature that sounded. Through clenched teeth, he answered: "Absolutely nothing, although it seems that we found where all the heat was."

"No shit, Sherlock," DG muttered. She took a step forward, now that the smoke had dissipated, and looked over the engine. "Looks like we busted a Head." She cocked her head to the side, still examining. "And the radiator's shot all to hell. Haven't you people ever heard of Anti-Freeze?" She shot Cain a look that said he should totally know this.

Cain ignored her question, and started to look around. They'd need shelter, and fast. He pulled the collar of his jacket up to block the wind some. "Let's get back in the cab until we can figure this all out."

DG gave him a mock salute. "Aye Aye, Captain."

Together, they climbed back into the cab, which seemed to have grown even colder since they had exited. The sound of DG's teeth chattering concerned the guard, but she kept to herself for the time they passed in the truck in silence.

"So, this isn'tsolving anything," she said finally. To her surprise, Cain grunted in agreement. She turned to him. "What do you suggest? Cause you know, I've heard conservation of body heat is a must in situations like this."

Cain decided to ignore that, shifting instead to look out the chilly window.

"So, what's going on out there that's so exciting? Snow? Oh, that's so incredibly new! Wait..." DG's voice dripped sarcasm. Honestly, there were times where he wasn't sure he wanted to shake her or pull her against him and-

Then he noticed it.

"You bundled up, Kid?" he asked suddenly.

His abrupt question startled DG. Looking down at herself, she shrugged. "As I'll ever be," she replied, mentally berating herself for not bringing a thicker coat. Or more clothes, for that matter. Why, oh why, had she thought it was a good idea to rely on the fact that she had a whole new wardrobe at the Northern Palace?

When he did come around to help her out, the wind assaulted her, stinging her cheeks and bringing tears to her eyes. Blindly, she grabbed for the blonde man's hand. Was it just her, or was it windier than it had been ten minutes ago?

They trudged on for several minutes. The snow was thick, and every step caused her pants to become more and more snow-covered. The innermost layer was melting against her warm legs, but the new layers of snow kept her pant legs stiff and cold. At some point, DG had lost hold of Cain's hand and she wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to ward off the biting winds. They walked another yard or so before Cain turned around to make sure that DG was all right, just as she suddenly wasn't.

One moment she was stepping soundly through the snow, and the next, some buried stick - from the size of it, it could have been a tree trunk - came up, and a sharp, white-hot pain shot up her leg as it twisted oddly and she fell.

"Ow!" she cried out in pain as she crumpled into the snow. She felt the wetness seeping into the side of her shirt as she lay upon the ground, but couldn't care less at the moment, as the throbbing pain traveled up her leg. She clutched at her ankle; her eyes squeezed shut against the pain.

"DG!" Cain's voice cried out from somewhere amidst the whirling storm. She forced her eyes to open just as something thumped onto the ground beside her. She rolled onto her back slightly in order to look up and found Cain kneeling beside her, his chapped face looking down at her with worry-filled eyes. "You all right?"

Not wanting to look weak in his eyes, DG attempted to play it off and sat up. "I'm fine," she said as Cain offered her his hand to help her stand. DG took it gratefully, but when she put weight down on her left leg to rise, she felt sharp pain shoot through the appendage once more. Hissing between her teeth, she sank back down into the snow. "Okay, maybe not," she amended ruefully.

She heard Cain sigh loudly and could tell by the sound that he was, more than likely, irritated. Despite the pain, her eyes narrowed. Seriously, it wasn't like she'd twisted her ankle on purpose! Just what did he think she did, anyway? Go around _trying _to find out how many ways to get herself injured/kidnapped/put in mortal danger? Just to annoy him? What. An. Ego.

"We don't have to walk far," he said, but it didn't sound like even he believed that she would be able to make it that distance.

She tried to rise again, with his help, and wound up having to lean on him heavily in order to keep weight off her injured foot. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she slipped hers around his waist.

After a few steps, it became quite clear that the arrangement was not working, even if it meant having Cain close. Nice. Warm. Cain.

"Kiddo, I'm gonna have to pack you. Is that all right?" he leaned down to ask into her ear above the howling wind.

_'Yes, please!'_ her mind supplied for her, more than a bit eagerly. And then those arms were scooping her up like they were on the front of some damn romance novel. Except the whole situation had always played out in her mind in a warmer locale; nicer winds, an off-the shoulder dress for her, and an open shirt for Cain.

Not to mention her ankle was throbbing like a sonofabitch.

He grunted and mumbled something. Even over the wind, it sounded like something involving her and 'weight' and 'more than he expected.'

"Hey! I haven't eaten a Twinkie in _**months**_!" she protested.

He didn't answer, because suddenly he was kicking at a mound of snow.

"It didn't do anything to you," DG stated. He glared down at her, but continued.

His foot starting connecting with something hollow, and then he was putting her down. "Sorry, kid."

DG wobbled slightly, her hand still holding on to Cain's shoulder for balance. She looked down at what Cain had been kicking at and found he had uncovered a door in the ground that had been hidden beneath the snow.

Using the butt of his gun, he broke the lock and the rickety door swung open. Warm, stale air rushed up and DG found herself leaning in to soothe her stinging cheeks.

"Careful, kiddo!" Cain grabbed her when she almost fell into the hole, head-first. His arm snaked around her waist and hauled her back to him, resulting in her back molding to his front.

Okay. Maybe this day wasn't a total let down.

"You're gonna have to climb down on your own." Cain's voice was right beside her ear and his chest vibrated against her back as he spoke, sending a shiver through her that had absolutely _**nothing**_ to do with the cold.

"Kay," she managed, nodding her head. Cain kept a good grip on her waist as he helped her descend into the dark. "What is this place?" she asked. The shelter from the wind was wonderful, and it seemed warm. Then again, anything was warm compared to the frozen tundra outside.

"Hideout for Resistance," he replied, "Not used in a while, by the looks of it."

"Looks of what? It's pitch black in here!"

That was fixed when Cain brushed a hand against the wall, reaching across DG to a small panel. Lights flickered and whined as they clicked on in the small room.

DG blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light and then she hobble-turned in a semi-circle, taking in her surroundings. It was very... cramped, was the word that came to mind. How the hell had Resistance Fighters hid in here? It was definitely smaller than her room back in Kansas.

"My, you Resistance Fighters must have been on intimate terms." DG's eyes widened as she realized that she had said that out loud. One of Cain's eyebrows rose. DG noted absently that she wanted to lick it. Seriously, what was with her?

Cain shook the snow that hadn't already melted off of his coat before moving across the tiny room to a small door. Twisting the knob, he pulled it open to reveal what, she assumed, was a closet. He reached inside, obviously to get something out, and his muttered curse told her that what he'd expected to find wasn't there.

When he turned back around, he held a dark-colored material in his hands. "Here," he said, coming back over to stand in front of her. He placed the item on a small cot that was set off to the side of the room and turned back to her. "There was only one blanket. Troops must have ransacked the place and took everything else. I was hoping it would be better stocked than this." As he spoke, his hands came up and removed her jacket. Then, to DG's surprise, he actually began to unbutton her top.

"Hey, not on the first date!" she exclaimed, causing him to stop. Part of her wanted to let him continue, but another part said this was not the time, place or, well, way that this was supposed to go.

Cain's eyebrows drew together in consternation. "Princess, you're clothes are soaked through. There's no way to build a fire in here and even though it feels warm, it actually isn't. You need to get dried off before you catch your death."

"Oh," the princess said, knowing that, at least, her cheeks were safe. Blood rushing to them at that quick a rate caused heat and such.

Her lips went dry and so, impulsively, she licked them, running her tongue across the top, first, then bottom, to moisten them. As she did this, she noticed Cain quickly jerk his head to look off to the side. DG's eyebrow quirked_. 'Interesting,'_

Cain cleared his throat and took a step back. "I think you can take it from here," he said gruffly.

_'Awww,'_ DG secretly pouted. "But, Mr. Cain, I'm injured, remember?" she asked, trying to sound as innocent as she could. "I don't think I can do it alone. Plus, I can't feel my fingers, they're so cold."

DG channeled every adorable puppy she had ever seen in her life as she looked up at him, imploringly. Cain stared at her in silence and, for a moment, DG didn't think he was going to fall for it. Finally, she heard him give one of his patented 'I give up'-growls.

He stalked back over to her and DG felt her pulse race as he once again began to undo her buttons. He had the shirt half-way undone, the top portion gaping open to show just a hint of what lay beneath the fabric. Finally, the shirt fell open fully and Cain made haste as he drew it off of her. He grabbed the wool blanket he'd set aside and unfolded it, quickly wrapping it around her shoulders.

And _**then **_he started on her pants.

DG slumped back against the wall, because sitting straight up meant, you know, having the ability to actually _**do**_ so.

_'Holy shit,'_ Wyatt-freakin'-Cain was getting into her pants!

She didn't really know what to do with her hands - they were supposed to be numb, after all - and so she brought them up to rest on his shoulders, her fingers curling into the collar of his coat. For warmth, of course.

Cain was working her jeans down her legs, jaw clenched furiously, when the idea hit her. "But, you're soaked, too, Cain."

He froze and asked: "What?" His eyes, which had been diverted throughout this whole thing thus far - _damn it_ - flicked up to look at her briefly and then away again.

"Your clothes," she said. For emphasis, she moved her hands down, slipping them beneath his coat to flatten them against the front of Cain's shirt. The damp material stuck to his chest like a second skin and DG wasn't sure, but, had that been a moan she heard? "They're just as wet as mine. Don't think I'm going to let you get sick on me."

"Thought you said your fingers were cold." He said as he pointedly looked down at where DG had already started to unbutton his shirt.

She looked up, eyes wide. "What do you know, they warmed up!" she said with feigned wonder.

DG felt Cain stiffen beneath her hands and, suddenly, the warmth of his body, as well as his hands, was moving away.

_'Damn it,'_ she mentally cursed herself. _'I was sooo close!'_

Cain retreated across the room to lean against the opposite wall. She watched him as he picked at his shirt front absently, his eyes staring down at it a moment before darting in her direction and then back again. DG sighed, hobbling over to the cot and sat down. Her pants were already down around her hips and so she wiggled free of them, picking them up and laying them across a nearby chair, hoping they would dry. Left only in a pair of white, cotton underwear and a lacy bra beneath the covering she donned, she tucked her legs beneath her on the cot and covered them with the blanket.

Silence fell over the small enclosure and DG felt herself growing tired. She lay down on the cot, her eyes drifting closed, and was just about to give in to her exhaustion when a sound met her ears that had her instantly snapping to attention.

The slap of wet material hitting the floor.

DG's eyes popped open and she stared, wide-eyed, at the sight across from her. Cain had removed his coat, having draped it over another wooden chair; his holster and hat hung there, as well. Her eyes flickered from the chair back to the man and-

DG silently thanked each and every deity that Tutor had ever taught her about during the numerous lessons he'd made her suffer through since the Eclipse.

Cain was shirtless, the sopping material lay in a heap at his feet and he was currently reaching down to undo the buttons of those sinfully tight pants.

Cain paused, hand hovering over the fastening of his trousers, unsure of what to do. DG had been right. Though not as wet as hers - since she'd taken that spill in the snow bank - his clothes were damp and becoming an uncomfortable burden. He'd been able to feel the chill seeping into his skin and knew that if he didn't do something to warm up, he would end up being the sick one. And then where would that leave DG? He didn't want it to seem like he was taking advantage of the situation, but there was only one blanket, and they both needed it to keep warm. In the end, sharing was the only option they had.

Cain nodded, his mind made up. He worked quickly, undoing the row of buttons and peeling the hindrance away from his cold skin. He placed his boots against the wall and his pants joined his shirt on the floor, leaving him clad in only a pair of underwear.

DG felt her heart rate increase and her body grow hot when it was revealed that those thighs were just as toned as they appeared, once the infamous pants were discarded. Then he bent over, intent on retrieving the wet articles from the floor. _'Oh my God, look at that ass! It's perfect!'_ DG's mind screamed in ecstatic approval. An involuntary squeak left her throat and it was all she could do to quickly shut her eyes in time to attempt feigned sleep, not wanting him to catch her staring.

Cain stood up abruptly and whipped back around. He could have sworn he'd heard a noise in DG's general direction, but when he looked over her eyes were closed and she seemed to be asleep. He sighed heavily. _'Might as well get this over with.'_ As quietly as possible, he made his way over to the cot to lie down facing away from her. Luckily, she had pushed herself against the wall, as if she had expected him to give in and share the small space with her, so there was plenty of room.

He lay there, trying not to move around too much. He didn't want to disturb her, so he carefully reached behind and tried to snag a corner of the blanket, planning on pulling it over him without waking her up. He jerked in surprise when DG's arm suddenly snaked around his waist, carrying the blanket with it as it went in order to cover him as well. He felt DG scoot closer to him so that she snuggled into his back, her cold little nose buried between his shoulder blades.

Cain sucked in a sharp breath at her sudden closeness. "I thought you were asleep," he growled.

"Well, you thought wrong, then, didn't you?" DG shot back, her voice teasing. "Now stop being so stubborn. I know you've come to the same conclusion as I have or else you wouldn't be over here. We're gonna have to share this blanket, Wyatt."

She heard Cain huff indignantly. "I know that, Princess. I wouldn't be over here if I didn't.

DG rolled her eyes at his response. "Then least you can do is turn over, ya know. It would make this whole 'conserving body heat' thing a whole lot easier."

She felt him stiffen under her arm and sighed. _'Oh, brother,'_ she thought. "Look, it's not like I'm going to bite you or anything," she said, her hand pulling on his arm insistently. "Just turn over already!"

She stifled a giggle when she heard him groan in defeat. "Fine," he muttered, scooting to turn around beneath the covers so that he was facing her. DG immediately took advantage and moved in close, forcing Cain to all but wrap his arms around her in order to get comfortable.

"What are you doing, DG?" He sounded wary. Silly Tin Man, didn't he know the meaning of the word snuggle?

"I'm being a good little conservationist and preserving our body heat. That is the reason you got into bed with me, isn't it?" She raised her head up a bit in order to look him in the eye.

Cain couldn't stop the blush from spreading no matter how hard he tried. "Of course it is!" he exclaimed in annoyance.

"Well, then, shut up and get with the sharing already," DG snipped as she laid her head down on his shoulder.

He was forced to lie on his back while DG snuggled against his side, using his arm - that was tucked under her head - as a pillow. As much as he wanted to, Cain simply could not get his body to relax. Not with DG molded to him like she was. He could feel every soft curve she possessed and the sensation sent his mind reeling.

This could not end well.

He didn't know how long he lay like that, but he was still awake when DG finally fell asleep; he could tell by how evenly she was breathing, her chest rising and falling with each breath, pressing those supple mounds into his rib cage. '_Damn it!'_

He swallowed hard as he felt certain body parts – one in particular - beginning to respond and tried to will them into submission, but it Wasn't. Fucking. Working.

Closing his eyes, he began to picture, in his mind, every abomination he could come up with. Glitch with his zipper open. Raw in a tutu. Even Zero wearing tights, complete with fairy wings and a tiara didn't help. Nothing worked!

_'Shit,'_ he thought, disgusted with himself. _'How do I manage to get myself into these situations?'_

It seemed to be his lot in life to forever be humiliated, taken off-guard, or just plain flustered when it came to DG. And she did it so effortlessly! The kid definitely deserved a medal.

_'Or a reward,'_ his mind offered.

_'Shut up,'_ he told it.

This was getting out of hand. Now, he was arguing with himself.

He startled a bit when DG shifted slightly and then jumped outright when her leg suddenly came up to drape across his hips. _'Fuck yes!'_ his hormones screamed.

He barely managed to muffle a groan. _Please don't wake up, please don't wake up, please don't wake up... _suddenly became his favorite mantra.

He wrapped the arm that was under her around her shoulders as his other hand reached beneath the blanket to grip her leg just at the bend of the knee. He needed it moved - and moved now - or there was no telling what would happen next.

He eased her leg off of him, careful to not let it brush against his, er... current problem.

DG grumbled in sleepy protest, but did not wake up. Instead, thankfully, she rolled away from him to face the wall. Unfortunately, she took the blanket with her as she went. Gritting his teeth, Cain now lay on his back, gazing up at the ceiling while freezing his ass off.

He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a huff. When he opened his eyes again he could see his breath on the air. Damn it, it was getting colder in here. He turned over toward DG and as gently as he could, untangled the blanket from her body and slipped beneath it with her once again. Now, it was _**his **_chest contouring to _**her **_back and it was every bit as unsettling as when the position had been reversed.

Miserably, he shook his head. Nothing could be done about it. He needed sleep badly. They had a long trek ahead of them in the morning and, with her injured ankle, he would need all the rest he could get.

With a resigned sigh, Cain forced himself to relax as best he could. Blessedly, sleep finally found him less than an hour later.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Frozen Comfort**_

_**- Part 2 -**_

As Cain slowly emerged from the depths of sleep, he instinctively fought the subtle pull to consciousness and, in defiance, snuggled into the soft warmth that was pressed to his front. He buried his face in a fragrant cloud of silk, while his right hand gently kneaded the pliant mound of softness it held. The mound filled his hand perfectly - though it was a bit rough to the touch - and from somewhere beyond his cloudy mind, a voice whispered to him, informing him that the coarseness was due to a barrier. One that needed to be removed post haste.

He fumbled for the edge of the material, still refusing to open his eyes. Nice, restful sleep like this was hard to come by, and, well, whatever this was, part of him realized it wouldn't be as good as it was now.

_'Success!'_ the voice crowed as his fingers finally managed to slip under the edge of the hindering material.

Cain gave a contented wuffle as his palm met with a warm, satiny-smooth surface. It was topped off with a small, puckered spot right in the center, but Cain didn't mind. The tip simply gave his fingers something to toy with and occupy their time. And then the soft thing moved. Its breath hitched and then the surface seemed to sink, and whatever it was made a sort of humming noise as it exhaled. Like a sigh.

Cain's eyes shot open. 

_'What the fu-…'_ "DG?!"

"Wyatt? What's wrong?" DG mumbled sleepily.

She'd called him Wyatt. What happened to 'Mr. Cain'? _'That went out the window right about the time you felt the need to redefine the meaning of the word 'Bodyguard.'. By the way, your hand is __**still**__ on her breast, you nitwit!'_ A somewhat snarkier voice than the one from earlier filled Cain's mind, and, in response, the Tin Man all but bolted from the bed.

Unfortunately...

In his haste, he totally forgot to throw back the blanket that they had been sharing and his legs became hopelessly tangled within its warm confines. As a result, his upper body propelled forward but was met with resistance from his lower half.

"_**Shit**_!" Cain exclaimed as he found himself suddenly tumbling out of the bed, dragging both blanket and shrieking princess along with him.

"OOF!" 

He landed on his back and, even though the floor was hard and cold, the princess on top of him was _**soft**_ and _**warm**_. And, of course, she'd landed on him in just _**that**_ way. Parts of her - _nice, soft, warm parts_ - landed on parts of him that really enjoyed the attention, but Cain's brain and sense of propriety told him this was not good. He gritted his teeth.

Then she _**wiggled**_. Damn her! His hands instinctively went to her hips in order to stop the movement.

And then he pushed her - none too gently - to the side, and off of him, shooting up and reaching for his clothing;, trying his best to put distance between the two of them. It didn't matter that the clothes were still a bit damp and chilling to his skin. Oh, no! That he could deal with. _**That**_ was actually quite _**comforting**_ at the moment.

It was the fact that DG - all open and forward and loving and, well... _**young**_ - would probably want to discuss things. Or act on them, and he couldn't tell which one was worse.

_'Or better.'_ And there was that _**damned**_ voice from last night!

_'Where the hell did you come from, anyway?'_ Cain demanded mentally and, for a moment, feared for his own sanity. He was hearing voices, dammit, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know why.

_'I'm the voice of common sense, which apparently, you seem to be lacking,'_ the voice replied nastily.

_'Common sense?'_ came Wyatt's mental retort, _'Ha! Try mental delusion!'_ He swore he could feel himself cracking at this point.

_'It's not my fault you're too stupid to realize you're in love with the girl. And I am __**not**__ a delusion!'_ the voice complained.

_'I...'_ he began, but trailed off as the words sank in. _'Wait- what? In love with DG? Since when?'_

_'Since, oh, I don't know... the __**Beginning**_

_'Impossilble,'_ Cain scoffed. _'No. That's just... no.'_

Suddenly, another voice spoke up - one that sounded, oddly enough, like the woman in question. _'Oooh, so Denial __**isn't**__ just a River in Egypt,'_ it said.

The Tin Man's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion and he would have protested, but a still-rough-from-sleep voice broke into his mental agrument. "You say something?" DG asked as she wiped sleep from her eyes. Cain whipped around.

"What?" he asked, and hated how his voice shot upward at the end.

"You said something about..." and she sighed, rubbing at her face. "I must still be half-asleep. Dreaming again."

Cain tried to control the trembling he felt taking over his body. He wasn't sure if it was due to the cold of the room or the fact that he was having a DG-induced mental break-down. He clenched his fists and gave a sharp negative shake of his head.

"Get dressed, Kid," he said, emphasizing the last word. "We need to try and make it to the palace while the suns are still shining."

DG just stared at him, dumbfounded, from her seat on the floor. The blanket lay puddled around her waist, leaving her upper body bare save for the tiny white scrap that covered those soft, plump, wonderful- Cain jerked his eyes forcefully away, turning to stiffly retrieve his coat, hat and holster from the back of the chair he'd left them on.

Prolonged exposure wasn't making..._**them**_ any less inviting. And beautiful. And- He struggled with his holster, focusing on the methodical movements necessary to put it on.

Once he'd managed to accomplish this feat, he concentrated on the precision it took to sliding each arm into the appropriate armholes of his duster. He perfected that art, then moved on to the hat, which _**everyone**_ knew took an extreme amount of time to get on just right...

"Cain? I don't think you can get that hat on any straighter." DG's voice sounded extremely amused as the Tin Man readjusted the fedora for the umpteenth time.

Clearing his throat, Cain reluctantly lowered his hands from the brim of his hat. Turning infinitesimally to peek over his shoulder at her, he was relieved to find that DG had slipped the blanket back up around her, but had made no move to get dressed.

"What're you doin,', Kid?" he asked, confident enough to turn and face her fully, now that there was nothing nice and firm on display to distract him. "Didn't you hear what I said? We need to move."

DG didn't say anything, or move from the floor, for that matter. She just simply sat there and stared at Cain with this little look that seemed to say: 'You idiot.'

It took him a good five minutes before he remembered. Her tumble in the snow bank the day before. She'd hurt her ankle and he'd had to help her up then. So obviously, she wouldn't be able to get up by herself now.

He almost felt like smacking himself in the forehead.

His jaw ticked furiously for a second before he rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. "Sorry, Princess," he muttered, stepping forward to assist, but froze the instant DG released the blanket to lift her arms out to him. The covering that had been protecting both DG's modesty and his own peace of mind once more fluttered down to pool around her waist.

He stared in awe at the picture she now presented: a heavenly angel – and a scantily clad one at that - reaching out for him with this _**look**_ in those expressive blue eyes. They seemed to almost say: 'Take me. I'm yours.'

_'Holy hell, man! What are you waiting for?'_ And the voice was back, full force, echoing into every corner of his brain.

Cain's eyebrow twitched. _'And have both the Queen and her Royal Consort come down on my head for molesting their youngest daughter? I don't think so!'_ he practically snarled in defiance. He would _**not**_ give in, dammit, he wouldn't!

With herculean effort, Cain approached DG and managed to reach out and grab hold of the blanket without his hands straying to forbidden parts of her body. He gripped the coarse material and wrapped it around her shoulders before scooping her up in his arms and placing her back on the bed. He then retrieved her clothes and handed them to her before turning and moving as far away as the small confines of the room allowed.

DG shot a look in the Tin Man's direction and shook her head before she silently began to dress. She knew he must be uncomfortable after last night. It still stung that he obviously didn't find her attractive. He'd literally undressed her, then stripped down and crawled into bed with her the night before and hadn't even made a move! What was that all about anyway? Wasn't she attractive enough? Was it the whole 'Princess' thing? Was that somehow off-putting to all sexy ex-Tin Men?

DG wondered exactly what would make her look less princess-like, but realized that in a dark, dusty room, there wasn't much of anything she could do to ammend that. Her hair was a wreck, her clothes were in a wrinkled - but dry - heap, and here she was, all hurt and everything. Definitely unprincess-like.

She gave a huff. "You know, this would go a lot faster with a little help," she hinted as she threw off the blanket and pulled on her shirt. She looked down as she worked on the buttons, avoiding looking in Cain's direction. Why were her fingers slipping? She finally managed to get her shirt done up, but the pants? The pants were proving to be a problem. DG experimentally tried to put weight on the bad ankle, but the pain that shot up her leg was too much. She slumped back down onto the cot. "Wyatt? I meant what I said before."

He didn't say anything and for a minute DG thought he might simply continue to ignore her. Finally, she heard him issue that little growl again - the one that always sent shivers up her spine - and he was moving back over toward her, jaw clenched tight. He knelt in front of her and took gentle hold of her injured foot, easing it into the leg of her pants. She opened her mouth to thank him, but closed it again when he proceeded to do the same for her other foot. He guided it into the stiff denim before replacing her shoes and then rose up suddenly. Before DG knew it, Cain's hands were on her shoulders, urging her to lay back on the bed. Her eyes widened in surprise. When his hands settled on her hips, her breath hitched and she was suddenly anticipating what he would do next.

With the gentlest movement possible, Cain started pushing the denim up her hips, cradling them with fingers she could feel through the material. They felt like they were burning her. He towered over her, his eyes boring into hers as he completed the task, his fingers skillfully securing the fastenings of her jeans, much to DG's disappointment. She let out an annoyed little huff. He was being far too gentelmanly.

However, his hands lingered at her waist a bit longer than seemed necessary, which didn't bother DG in the least. But, alas, he finally did remove them as he stood up straight. Then he was offering an outstretched hand. "Come on, Princess. We've got a long hike ahead of us and time's a wastin'," he said, sounding almost reluctant.

_'Yeah, whatever,'_ DG thought. Any other guy would have taken advantage of having an almost- naked female in front of them, but nooo. Not her Tin Man.

_'But,'_ a little voice niggled in the back of DG's mind. _'Isn't that what makes him so special?'_

_'Shut up,'_ she told the voice, but knew it was true.

The fact that Cain wasn't willing to take advantage of her in this vulnerable state, made her love him all the more. Wait a minute... _**love**_ him? When the Hell, exactly, had she fallen in love with Wyatt Cain? DG's eyes grew wide with wonder as she simply stared at the hand Cain still held out to her.

She was so distracted by this sudden revelation that she reached up for his hand without giving a thought to her injured ankle and stood abruptly. Instantly, pain radiated up her leg as she was reminded of the sprain. "Shit!" she cried out as she nearly crumbled to the floor, stopped only by the strong arms of Wyatt Cain, whose quick reflexes allowed him to slip them around her waist just in time. She clung to his broad frame for a moment as the torturous tides passed and he allowed her to, without a word.

"Thank you," she managed with only the tiniest hint of suffering in her voice as she looked up and met his eyes. They looked to have taken on a much darker hue of blue than they normally were and the sight made her shiver against him. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around her more tightly.

"Think you can manage climbing the ladder?" Cain's tone was gruff worry mixed with an emotion DG could not name.

She nodded meekly then diverted her eyes as she admitted: "But I doubt walking any further than that is an option for me."

She felt his chest rise and fall with his sigh and her eyelids fell closed. It seemed that she had disappointed him again. He shifted until he supported her on her injured side and helped her hop over to the foot of the ladder. It was a tedious, and somewhat clumsy, display, as she made her way back up to the snow-whitened world above.

Once they were both up top again, Cain turned and scanned the horizon, calculating their position and figuring the direction they needed to head in. "That way," he said, pointing to the North.

_'Well, duh!'_ DG thought, a sudden case of sarcasm overtaking her. _'We're going to the __**Northern**__ Island, what did you expect?'_ Secretly, she rolled her eyes.

He turned and gave her a look before looking back down at the hole in the ground then back at her. "One minute," he said, before disappearing back down the ladder. He reappeared a second later, toting the blanket they had used the night before. "Here, wrap up in this," he said before proceeding to place the material around her shoulders. He then presented his back to her and knelt. "Hop on."

DG blinked in surprise. "What?"

He looked over his shoulder at her. "You're not walking on that ankle any more than you have to. It'll be easier carrying you this way than the other," he said, referring to the bridal technique he'd used the day before.

"Oh," DG nodded and grasped the edges of the blanket as she wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing the blanket to once again cover both of them. His hands went to the backs of her thighs before sliding down to the bend of her knees and hoisting her up easily.

"You ready?" 

"As I'll ever be."

With that, the Tin Man and the Princess began the long trek toward the palace.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Frozen Comfort**_

_**- Chapter 3 -**_

By Cain's reckoning, they had made it maybe two miles away from the Resistance hideout and still had about double that distance to go before they would reach the Northern palace. During that time, DG had rested her head on his shoulder and so her mouth was right there by his ear, allowing him to hear every little sound that she made. It wasn't very long before she began to vocally express how utterly bored she was.

She sighed heavily and with a tiny whine that tainted her voice, said: "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet." he replied and kept walking.

They traveled a little further in silence but then DG's voice came again. "Now?

Cain rolled his eyes. "_Not yet_." he grumbled, stressing the words and tried to ignore the way she huffed in his ear and the way it sent a delightful tingle down his spine. He trudged another yard across the snow-covered valley before...

"How about now?"

Cain froze in his tracks and felt the niggling urge to dump DG into the snow. His chivalrous demeanor, however, prevented him from doing so.

He didn't answer her this time; he simply hoisted her higher onto his back - as she had slipped down a bit - and started walking again. With each step he took, Cain became more and more aware of the fact that the blanket he'd grabbed was doing little to keep DG warm. Two key pieces of evidence to this fact just so happened to be pleasantly digging between his shoulder blades as he tried his damnedest to ignore their persistent desire to remind him that they were there.

_'You __**do **__know that she knows that you can feel that, right?'_ that pesky voice assaulted his brain again. Couldn't the damned thing just give him a break?_ 'I'm fucking freezing out here and I don't have time to deal with this shit!' _he thought angrily, _'So shut the hell up!'_

Cain gave a relieved sigh when the voice actually listened and said nothing more. For like a minute.

_'You know... there is such a thing as "physical stimulation." that's been known to cause the same reaction.'_ the voice taunted and Cain's eyes widened as he nearly stumbled over a snowbank.

"Whoa there, cowboy!" DG exlaimed as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and (God help him) her legs around his , the move jarred DG's leg, causing the princess to let out a hiss of pain.

"You okay?" Cain asked. He gritted his teeth as he tried to ignore the way the backs of DG's legs were brushing dangerously close to a part of his anatomy that he'd prefer they didn't.

_'At least, not right now, huh, Stud?'_ Oh, how he wished he could **kill **that stupid voice! _'You can always offer to give her piggy-back rides after we get to the palace. Believe me, it would be alot more enjoyable for both of you then.'_

_'Oh, shut up!' _

"I'm okay," DG said, but Cain could tell she was in pain by the sound of her voice.

"Maybe we should take a rest, princess." he suggested and felt DG's head nod beside his. With a sigh he sank to his knees and allowed her to tentatively climb off his back.

"I'm sorry," DG said softly as she wobbled slightly and attempted to balance on one foot.

"S'alright, princess," Cain replied. He turned around to face her, making sure to keep a firm grip on her arm. "We shouldn't be far frm the palace, then we can take care of your properly."

Keeping her head lowered, DG glanced up at Cain almost shyly.

"And just how exactly do you intend to take care of me, Mister Cain?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He raised an eyebrow, unwilling to rise to the bait she had set for him. "An ice pack might help with the swelling." When she looked up at him and then at the snow he elaborated. "That is if we can keep the rest of you warm." Her eyes glittered and he cursed himself for sinking deeper.

DG was sorely tempted to continue flirting with Cain, thinking how adorable the Tin Man was when he was flustered; but a sudden gust of icy wind quickly reminded them that they were standing in the middle of the Northern Isle in a snow storm and still had quite a ways to go before they made it to the castle.

"Fine, Tin Man. Let's test those survival skills of yours." She hopped closer to him then cocked her head to the side. "You do know how to survive out in the crazy white evil, don't you?"

Cain snorted at the princess's gumption and with a half-smile, shook his head. "Let's just say I know my way around the outdoors and leave it at that. Now, let's get moving before it gets any later." With that, Cain made to kneel down for DG to crawl back up on his back.

He stopped abruptly, feeling the blood in his veins freeze as a distinctive howl rendered the frosty air. His gun hand instantly went to his holster as he reached out with the other to pull DG behind him, protectively.

"Don't move," he ordered tersely before slowly drawing his revolver even as a lone wolf emerged from behind a snowbank not even two yards away.

He heard DG's gasp and felt her hands clutch at his free arm as she practically plastered herself to his back, her head over his shoulder as she gawked at the rogue wolf. "There are wolves in the O.Z.?" Her voice floated softly next to his ear in curious wonder. "I've never seen one before. Not in real life anyway."

Obviously the girl was insane. Never in his life had he come across a woman who would be pleased to see a wolf. He tried to not be distracted by the feel of her soft curves pressed against him and instead kept his eyes glued to the potentially dangerous animal that was currently sniffing around in the snow nearby. He brought a finger up to his lips in a shushing manner. It apparently hadn't seen them yet, which was good. As slowly as he could, Cain began to back up, urging DG to follow his lead. He kept his gun drawn and ready to fire in case the wolf gave some sign that it meant to attack, but so far they'd been lucky.

They inched backwards and when they neared a hill of snow, Cain quickly swung them around so that they were concealed behind it. He peered over the top of the white mound to find the wolf moving away from them. _'That was close,' _he thought tiredly. _'Too close.'_

"Is it gone?" He swore he heard disapointment in her voice. Glancing at her he raised his eyebrow. She pushed herself up over his shoulder so she could see over the mound of snow. "Shoot. It was pretty."

He made in inarticulate noise of disbelief and wrapping his arm around her waist hauled her back down.

"It was pretty?" he hissed, "It's pretty teeth could have ripped you apart!"

"Oh, come on, Cain!" DG whispered back in protest. "It's not like I was in any danger. I have you here to protect me!"

He didn't know whether he wanted to strangle her or laugh.

"And what if it had gotten me first?" She waved a hand as if it were completely impossible for a wolf to get past him.

"Cain, please. The only way that would have gotten past you is if it were some kind of magical mutant."

"I could have taken care of a magical mutant by myself."

"See? Totally safe!" DG replied in a tone that implied 'I rest my case'.

Cain was simultaneously touched and perplexed by her confidence in his ability to protect her.

"Okay, so what next?" DG continued, totally missing the conflicting emotions flitting across her Tin Man's face.

Sighing, Cain turned and faced into the wind, trying to make out something, any sort of mark. "Keep going. Keep moving. It's our only bet for finding the palace.

"But..." DG peeked over the top of the snowy hill. "The palace is that way, right?" Cain nodded. DG stared at him. "The wolf's that way, too."

Cain sighed. "Which means we'll have to get down wind of him and circle round."

"But that means we have to walk even further." DG whined.

"Yep," Cain replied, gritting his teeth. "Appears that way, princess."

DG frowned unhappily. "Oh, Mother is _**so**_ in for it when I get back."

Cain couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of the queen of the O.Z. getting lectured by her own daughter. There was no doubt in his mind that DG was feisty enough to do it too.

~*~*~

TBC...


End file.
